Aidan
The Dark Wanderer is the Warrior from Diablo I who has been possessed by Diablo, the very demon he sought to contain within himself. After finally engaging Diablo in a duel in the depths of the hell beneath Tristram, the unnamed Warrior defeated and killed the Prime Evil. However, by this time he had been thoroughly corrupted by the demon's influence, and was led to believe the only way he could contain the Lord of Terror was by placing Diablo's foul soul within his own body, inserting the Soulstone in his forehead. It was revealed during the Lore Panel at BlizzCon 2011 that the Dark Wanderer's real name is Amon, eldest son of King Leoric. Amon returns to Tristram to find his brother after the failed war against Westmarch, only to find that his father and friend, Lachdanon, are both dead. It was also revealed that Amon had a relationship with Adria the Witch. Their daughter is Leah, one of the principle characters in Diablo III. This also means taht Amon is the Brother in Law of Deckard Cain. Diablo I ending "The Soulstone burns with Hellfire as an eerie red glow blurs your vision. Fresh blood flows into your eyes, and you begin to hear the tormented whispers of the Damned. You have done what you knew must be done. The essence of Diablo is contained for now. You pray that you have become strong enough to contain the Demon and keep him at bay. Although you have been fortified by your quest, you can still feel him, clawing his way up from the dark recesses of your soul. Fighting to retain control, your thoughts turn toward the ancient, mystic lands of the Far East. Perhaps there, beyond the desolate wastes of Aranoch, you will find an answer. '' ''Or, perhaps... salvation!" =LIy9no_GXHc The Journey East left|thumb|The Dark Wanderer in the Rogue Monastery However, no amount of his strength could contain the demon forever. Diablo slowly, but surely, gained control of his body and overtook his will when the Wanderer stopped at the Rogue Monastery for rest and a meal. Now thoroughly under the demon's control, the Warrior assumed the guise of the Dark Wanderer and left to journey east, towards Diablo's brothers Mephisto and Baal. Wherever the Dark Wanderer went, the minions of Hell followed, terrorizing and murdering countless innocents. One such peasant, Marius, was inexplicably drawn to the Wanderer, and chose to follow him on his journey. Given that the Wanderer ultimately told him the significance of his visions, it is possible that he actively manipulated Marius into following him. right|thumb|100px The Dark Wanderer eventually reached the deserts of Aranoch, where he found and uncovered the true tomb of Tal Rasha. Intending to free his brother Baal, Diablo found instead the archangel Tyrael awaiting him, who knew of the Prime Evil's plans and had laid in wait to stop him. Diablo and Tyrael then engaged in a lengthy duel. While they were fighting, Baal compelled Marius to remove his soulstone, which would free him from his bindings. Marius, almost driven to insanity by the horrors he had witnessed following Diablo on his journey, complied, freeing the mutated form of Tal Rasha. Diablo and Baal then worked together to defeat Tyrael and chained him to the tomb. The Brothers then arrived in Kurast, joining their third and eldest brother Mephisto, who had already freed himself long ago and had the jungles under his control. It was there, in one of the deep durances of Mephisto's influence that the Dark Wanderer completed his journey and transformed fully into the shape of Diablo, before the three opened a portal to Hell where Diablo returned to gather his armies. Diablo II The Dark Wanderer, or some illusion of him, can be encountered in Act 3 right upon leaving the Kurast Docks, where he disappears before summoning some Flesh Beasts. The player cannot interact with him in any way. In Deckard Cain's journal, this encounter is expressed as having caught a glimpse of the Dark Wanderer disappearing. The next encounter with him in the game is the point where the Dark Wanderer has ceased to exist and has been completely taken over by Diablo's soul and body. Diablo III (beta) The Dark Wanderer and warrior from Diablo I is given the name "Aidan" and is the (legitimate/illegitimate) eldest son of King Leoric. Upon saving Deckard Cain in the Diablo III beta, he is found in New Tristram with the dialogue option "The Skeleton King". During this dialogue Deckard Cain reveals information about the warrior. : Deckard Cain: Many adventurers tried and failed to slay the Skeleton King. It was left to Leoric's eldest son Aidan to finally kill the monster his father had become. Leah, an early NPC encountered in the Diablo III beta is believed to be Aidan's and Adria's daughter. This relationship is revealed through dialogue with Leah and through Adria's journal. : Leah: Adria was my mother, but I don't know much about her. She died when I was very young. I was raised by Uncle Deckard. Player: What of your father? Leah: I'm told he was a great warrior who was lost when Tristram fell to the demons. Player: Your mother had her secrets... Leah: People said she was a witch but I never believed it. : Adria's Journal: Aidan came to me last night. I suspected what was lurking within his troubled heart. I consoled him as best I could. Regardless, wherever he's headed, Hell will surely follow in his wake. The shadows close in on Tristram once again. But like Aidan, I'll be gone before they fall. Diablo D&D In the book "Diablo II: The Awakening", an NPC named Qarak takes the Soulstone and sticks himself in the head with it, rather than one of the PC adventurers. This is the only time that anything remotely near to even being mistaken as "canon" in Diablo has come close to giving a proper name to the Dark Wanderer. Category:Act III